Honda GX200 clone recoil plastic reel breaks

[lee]

I bought a Troy Bilt Bronco tiller with a Honda GX 200 clone engine on it. It was missing the recoil starter which I thought was kinda odd. I drained the old gas, cleaned the carb, and robbed a recoil off another clone engine I had on a go kart and installed it. After a couple pulls the engine cranked and ran fine. I ordered a new recoil off Ebay, installed it and it worked fine the first couple times I ran the engine. The third time the rope would not retract back in the recoil. Went to take the recoil off and found one of the metal arm pawls still stuck through the slot on the starter cup. I had to hit the arm with a chisel to get to disengage from the starter cup so I could get the recoil off. The Ebay seller sent another recoil and it arrived today. Wanting to make sure there were no problems with fit between the new recoil and my old starter cup, I installed the recoil and then pulled the spark plug and pulled the engine over half a doz times and the recoil worked fine. I put the spark plug back in and the recoil broke on the first pull just like the first one did. Both pawl arms are now stuck through the slots on the starter cup. It looks like the plastic rope reel is supposed to support the arms when they extend through the slots on the starter cup. The plastic reel is cracked and broken behind the supports for the arms. Question: Is this a problem with the made in China recoil or do a have a problem with valve adjustment/ compression release. IOW is it a known problem for a GX engine with higher than normal compression to break the plastic starter rope reel? I wish I could test compression but I need a working recoil to do that. The only working recoil I have is the one I took off the go kart and I don't want to break that one too.

[bgsengine]

problem with those china clones , they may be made by a few different factories, and may use slightly different parts (in fact even some coming from same factory may have incompatible parts changes mid-production) so you may need to find a matching starter cup to go with the recoil.. I had a Tecumseh do the same thing when they put in an aftermarket recoil that had a smaller center hub (that holds the starter pawls and stuff) so the pawls shot out too far and due to that they had leverage being applied to them in the wrong place... a little research and I found where that recoil came off of, and the starter cup for that recoil was just a 1/4" smaller I.D. than the one on the tecumseh engine... so it may not necessarily be a bad recoil as it may be wrong recoil for application (or different from original) .. And lastly, How old is that troy-bilt? You do know MTD has been having their own Powermore engines (built to their specs on that Honda block design) and they do indeed often have such a problem with incompatible (almost fits but not quite right) parts so might be useful to have that complete model/serial number off the tiller (which if the clone engine is original powermore to that tiller, the parts lookup will give you correct parts for the engine)

[lee]

Yes it is the original Troy Bilt Honda clone engine that came on the tiller. I bet ur right that the starter cup is just a bit larger than the standard Honda cup resulting in the broken recoil reels. So I need a recoil with a matching cup. Maybe previous owner had this same problem which is why he sold it cheap and without a recoil?

[KE4AVB]

Just wondering what is the model number of the tiller. Some of them may have a MTD designed engine if new enough.

[Arkie]

I've got into the same thing, especially with the plastic recoil stuff, even on Briggs engines. Some of the China stuff is weaker than the other China stuff, but not any such thing as real good China stuff.

You might think about looking a Honda OEM type replacement stuff. I've used OEM Honda parts on the clones with good results, even Valve train components such as Heads, Valves, valve springs, etc.
I get the Honda stuff usually used from flea bay.

You do need to make sure your compression release is working properly and also bring the engine up slowly to the felt compression then pull through with the rope.

[lee]

Model # is 618-04934 and the serial # is 1K110P30104 I wish I could post a pic here so u all can see how metal arm pawl is stuck through the plastic reel behind where the support for the arm is on the reel. The recoil engages the cup and will pull the engine over fine until u put a spark plug in and the compression hits and then it breaks. I'll pull the valve cover and make sure the valve clearance is not too loose. What should it be on a clone GX200 ?

[bgsengine]

Model # is 618-04934

That is not a model number, that is part number for transmission assembly. Model would be something like 21A-xxxxxxx

and the serial # is 1K110P30104 I wish I could post a pic here so u all can see how metal arm pawl is stuck through the plastic reel behind where the support for the arm is on the reel. The recoil engages the cup and will pull the engine over fine until u put a spark plug in and the compression hits and then it breaks. I'll pull the valve cover and make sure the valve clearance is not too loose. What should it be on a clone GX200 ?

for pics, you got to upload pics to a service where you can link to them (or if you can resize them to forum's max dimensions limits , 600 px width, you can link them with img tags) the forums do not permit uploads..

[lee]

yes I was afraid that would be the tranny model number. That was the only model number I could find on the tiller. I see a tag on the engine but the model number is covered up under sheet metal. I'll see if I can get the engine model #.

[Skywatcher]

Hi Lee

Did a search on Jack's Small Engine using your part number and came up with 9 different models of rototiller called Bronco or Super Bronco, all 2009 and 2010 models. Three of the parts breakdowns included an engine breakdown, all three have the same part number for the recoil starter and the starter cup. Recoil assembly complete is P/N 95110790 and starter cup is P/N 95110911. As Arkie says, valves out of adjustment will render the automatic compression release system inoperable which puts excess strain on the recoil system often resulting in broken parts. Hope this helps point you in the right direction,

Sky

[KE4AVB]

Tnx Sky for the research. That put it to having a MTD 170-T0A engine.

Service manual is PN 769-04015.
MTD 61/65/70/75 Series Horizontal Shaft Engines service manual